The Fruits and Vegetables You Should Never Refrigerate

Regarding how to keep your fruit, there are a lot of conflicting opinions available. Some people prefer to store their apples in the pantry rather than the refrigerator, while others chill whole pineapples. Still, others are adamant that tomatoes should only be kept on the counter. Your food may stay longer and taste better if it is stored in one manner over another in some circumstances, though it's not always just a matter of personal preference. We put prepared recommendations for storing some of the most contentious produce items and included useful lists so you'll know where to store all your fresh produce to help put the discussion to rest once and for all (and help you reduce food waste).

Tomatoes

Although there are varying views on where to store tomatoes, trust us when we say that they belong in your cupboard or on your counter. Tomatoes lose some of their flavors and acquire a mealy texture when kept in the refrigerator. Tomatoes will remain juicier and tastier if you leave them out of the refrigerator, regardless of whether you purchase them from the supermarket or pick them from a vine in your backyard.

Tangerine Fruits

You'll need to refill more frequently if you leave your lemons out on the counter. The refrigerator is the best place to store lemons, limes, and oranges since the cooler air keeps them from drying out. They can last up to two weeks in the refrigerator and around one week at room temperature. Lemons can be left out on the counter for a few hours before being eaten if you don't like cold fruit. Additionally, if you first reduce the chill, you'll be able to extract more juice.

Mushrooms

You might be startled to find that mushrooms should be stored in the refrigerator if you've ever brought home a container and left it on the counter for a few days before consuming it. Unwashed mushrooms should be stored in the refrigerator in a paper bag to prevent them from fast going bad, except for morel mushrooms, which you should leave on the counter. To assist prevent them from turning slimy after a day or two, remove the plastic wrap from the top of the container if you intend to keep them there.

Squash 

The type of squash you bring home will determine how you store it. Acorn and butternut squash, as well as other winter squash, should be stored outside of the refrigerator for up to two months (but leftovers should be refrigerated once they have been chopped). On the other hand, summer squash and zucchini should be stored in the refrigerator, where they can survive up to four days. Be careful to make some extra room in your refrigerator before bringing in that abundant zucchini harvest!

Many Fruits (Including Avocados)

Thankfully, most fruits can be eaten either way. On the counter or in the refrigerator, you can store apricots, avocados, star fruit, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, kiwis, mangoes, papayas, peaches, nectarines, plums, and pears. They won't ripen in the refrigerator, so we advise leaving them out until they are ripe before putting them in the fridge if you aren't ready to eat them quite yet. There is no requirement to store them in the refrigerator if you consume them as soon as they are ripe. Fruit won't keep indefinitely in the refrigerator. Most of the time, it will give you a few extra days to cook that peach crisp or avocado toast.

The majority of the fruits on this list can be allowed to ripen on the counter before being kept in the refrigerator, but there are a few other exceptions:

• Corn (If you want to eat it within a day, leave it out of the refrigerator. If not, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to seven days.)
• Apricots
• Avocados
• Carambolas from cantaloupe (Star Fruit)
• Figs (They should be used right away, but can be refrigerated for up to 3 days)
• Honeydew Melon
• Kiwi
• Mangoes
• Peaches, nectarines, and papayas
• Pears
• Plums